Fertilization of small plants



FERTILIZATION OF SMALL PLANTS Filed Sept. '7, 1942 f7 r f 7 7 .a purposeto present the Patented Sept. 28, 1943 1 r2,330,408 ',FEnmzA'rloN oFSMALL rLAN'rs f .mtb Austin cover, Modem, Application september i, 1942,serial No. 457,562

6 Claims.

.The invention relates to` means for applying 'fertilizer around plantswhich have been-set, in

su'chl manner that the fertilizer will not be doposited upon the setplant, so closely to the roots thereof as to injure the same, which isundesir able in connection with most fertilizers, because in theirconcentrated form they will damage the upper parts of the plants ifcontacted therewith,

' or may injure the plant by leaching of concen- .trated solutions fromrain if the fertilizer is de-` posited too closely to the roots.

The invention is especially useful in enabling the fertilization ofsmall plants, such as tomato plants,- cabbage, or other plants, as maybe found required. The invention is adapted to be used in connectionwith any automatic planting machinery, although in the presentinstance,l it is embodied as a hand instrument adapted to bel operatedover plants already set, whether by machinery or otherwise, and it is animportant aim of the invention to embody it in a light constructionadapted to be readily operated by' hand, with accuracy' andeiiiciency.'l

The invention is of 'value in enabling the con# trol of insects andplant diseases by `enabling the deposit of fertilizers safely in close-relation to the plants which by theirnature will kiii or discourageinsects or fungus growth; and in case the fertilizer alone is not sooperative, it will enable the admlxture of insecticide and funguscoritrolling materials with a fertilizer so as to operate either bycontact or production of fumes, or the invention may enable the depositof insecticide and fungicide as a separate operation in plant protectionand control.

It is a special aim of the invention to present a novel construction ofsuch an appliance which enable'the deposit and covering of fertilizer inthe soil, by one operation, so that the advantages of a drill areobtained.

, It is also an important aim of my embody in a form and structure whichmay be operated with a minimum of eort, and with a minimum liability offaulty operation. It is also invention in a structure which will beextremely durable and liable in a minimum degree to derangement ofadjustment or functional relation of the parts, as well as beinventionto and combination of parts `involved-in the em Y (o1. ure-f1) body themvenuon'in a form which may be read-l ily understood,4 operated andadjusted by the average farm-hand, and which may be readily taken apartfor cleaning or repair, without requiring expert mechanical training.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention reside in theconstruction, arrangement bodiment of the invention, as will be morereadily understood from the following description and accompanyingdrawing, wherein H Figure 1. is a vertical sectional view of a handdrill device embodying my invention, showing it applied-to use aroundand over` a small plant, and

'engaged with the earth around -the plant.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,looking downward; l

Figure 3 is a section on the .line 3-#3 of Figure 1, looking downward.

Figure- 4 is a perspective view of the tripod or canopy element of thedevice, detached.

Tliereis illustrated a hand drill device compricing a cylindricalreceptacle and casing body I0, which may be formed of thin' steel sheetmetal or stock tubing, and for use upon bigger plants,

may be approximately eight inches indiameter, more or less, and for useupon other plants may be larger or smaller, according to the size of theplants'. This receptacle is provided with handles II at opposite-sides,at its upper part, and the length of the cylindrical portion of thereceptacle may be such that it may be conveniently operated by a person'grasping the handles in respective hands and operating the device bysetting it upon soil while standing closely adjacent the plant to befertilized, or otherwise treated. At its lower end, the receptacle isformed with an annular bottom I2, having an annular series of aperturesI3 formed therethrough close to the outer wall of the receptacle andarranged concentrically with respect thereto. At the inner edge of thebottom I2,.an upstanding cylindical wall I4 is formed.

- spaced from the outer wall of the receptacle- I0 ing rugged andsubject to a minimum of wear or but a short distance, so that an annularchannel I5 is formed in the' lowerl end of the receptacle, and anopening of substantial size is provided, extending through and withinthe wall portion I I. l The wall I4 need be only three inches, more orless, in height, although this may lie-varied as discretion dictates,and the total height of the receptacle I0 may -be such as to permitgrasping of the handles without requiring the operator stoop unduly. Y

In the upper part of the receptacle I0, a spider frame IB is mounted,including radial arms found desirable and expedient.

portion 2i spaced very close to and in revoluble The lower edge portion.

relation to the wall Il, I of the material of the wall 2i is segmentedand bent outwardly at right angles. so as to form a multiplicity ofsmall wings 22, lying horizontally in a close relation to the bottom l2of the receptacle, and stopping short of the outer wall of thereceptacle, these wings functioning as agitators andclosures for theapertures il, at

n win be apparent that/the vrelative msnen of the receptacle Il inaclockwise direction with relation to the canopy 2li will result in thebearing Il moving downwardly upon the shaft Il one position of the conein relation to the -receptacle i0. as will be explained. Thedepth of thewall portion 2| is such in relation to the wall il that the cone maymove downwardly into the receptacle so that the wings 22 may lie closelyupon the bottom I2, and at this position, preferably, the wings andapertures Il are so spaced that each aperture is covered by a respectivewing. This will enable the drill as a whole. to be carried from place toplace with a minimum of waste or spillage of fertilizer or othermaterials or chemicals to be applied. In the present instance, there areshown but four ofthe aperuntil stopped by the nut 21, as shown inFigurei. Thenutissoadiustedthatatthisstopposition, the wings 22 will bespaced a short distance above the bottom i2, so as to aiford a clearancefor the passage of granular or pulverulent material 29 within thecontainer around thecanopy. as will be readily understood. The wings 22are spaced apart so as to aiIord slots 24 therebetween, the-width ofwhich is properly proportioned to allow the material 28 to movedownwardly therethrough when the wings are moved horizontally over thebottom I2. as will occur when the canopy is held stationary and thereceptacle I l rotates.

Counter-clockwise movement oi' the receptacleilwithrespecttothecanopywillbelimited by engagement or the wings 22against the iloor i2, or against materials under the wings and over theiioor, as will be understood.

In the' use of the appliance. suitable fertilizer. or a mixture offertilizer and insecticide, or a quantity oi' insecticide, eithergranulated or pul-4 verized. is introduced into the receptacle lli, asshown at 2l. and the plant tobe fertilized or otherwise treated havingbeen set in the soil, the operator grasps the handles Il' in respectivehands and liits the drill into' position centered over the plant 2l. tobe fertilized or otherwise treated, and then lowers the whole devicearound tures Il, although the number maybe varied, as

I If desired, a packing 2l may be loosely engaged between the walls Iland 2|. such as felt, attached to one of the. walls. Secured, upon thecanopy 20 aboveV the wall Il located within the canopy, there are anumber ofsnohor spades 2l, extending downwardly in close spaced relationto the wall i4 on the bottom of the receptacle, and being-sharplypointed 'so as to readily'enter soil below the device. being extended'several inches below the bottom I2 of the receptacle for this purpose.Three of thesespades are shown in the present instance. Upon the bottomI2 of the receptacle and extending downwardly and exteriorly therefrom.there are provided adjacent each of.

the apertures il respective drill shoes 26, substantially U-shaped inhorizontal section and secured to the bottom l2 rigidly. partlysurrounding respectivevopenings or ports il. The open sides of theseshoes are-directed in a counter-clockwise direction, around the axis ofthe Y receptacle il, for a purpose which will be subsequently explained.i The lower ends of the shoes are shaped in 'a manner to correspond tothe lower ends of drill spouts and the like, so as to form a drill inthe earth when extended /a-*short distance thereinto and rotated in aclockwise direction. as will beunderstood. The walls of the drill shoeAare spaced a short distance from the the plant. s0 that the latter setswithin the chamber or space formed under the canopy 2l,

and the spades enter into the soil a distance and spaced outwardlyfrom\the plant, as shown in Flgurel. Thedrillshoes 2i arealsopressedashort distance into the soil. as illustrated in Figure 1. Preliminary tothis positioning of the drill. the receptacle il land canopy are locatedrelatively. so that the canopy is at its lower position with the wings'2| close over the openings il, and the device having been positioned asderespective openings, so as to afford ample clearancefor the i'all ofmaterial into the drill formedbythe shoes as they are moved in a'mannertobedescribed.

0n the threaded portion of the shaft il below the spider Il, a lock nut21 is engaged upon the shaft, and. below that. a lock nut 2l, to holdthe nut 2IA in adjusted positions. The shatt'll is freelyrevoluble inthe threadedbearing il, as will be understood, and by reason of itsthreaded engagement in the bearingLthe canopy!! is supported within thereceptacle il' properly.

scribed. the receptacle Il is now located so that it is screweddownwardly upon the shaft Il. the

spurs 2l locking the canopy 2l and shaft against rotation. In thisclockwise rotation oi the receptacle Il, the shoes 26 describerespective arcs concentric with thestalk of the plant Il, and the massof the material 2| being moved with the receptacle relatively to thecanopy and wings 22. the latter move through the material 2l with aslicing and agitating action, causing thematerlalimslipthroughtheslotsuandtobe pusli'ed` to the openings il,through 'which it drops into the .drill formed by the rotation o! theshoes 26 in engagement with the soil, u shown. Preferably. theadjustment of the nuts 2'Iand2lissuchastopermitsfullquarter turn of thereceptacle Il in this operation. where four of the openings I8 only areprovided. a lesser movement may be found sumcient. As the shoes 28 movein the soil, the soil is first .pressed to each side of the shoe besidethe drill, and the material 2l passingto the openings I3 falls into thebottom ofthe drill while the earth is so pressed aside. After passage ofthe shoes beyond the part at which the material 2l is deposited. theearth falls back in part and so covers the material tosome extent. Thereceptacle il may next befrotated counter-clockwise. so as t'o returnthe parts to initial positionwith the wings 2l in position to preventfurther distributing of the material from .the receptacle with the shoestill engaged inthe top soil, in which event there will be a stirringand, admixture oi' the previously dropped material and` also thatdroppins during the counter-clockwise movement', with the soil. 1i'desired, however, th'e device may be lifted before the counter-clockwisemovement so that the shoe 2S clears the soil but the spades 25 stillremains engaged therein, and then.

the first deposited material 29 will remain covbodiment known to me at'this time, it will, never-v l theless, be understood that'this is purelyexemplary, and that modifications and changes in construction,arrangement and combination of parts may be made within the limits oi'the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.l

By the adjustment, of the nuts 21 and 28 to permit a greater extent ofrelative rotation of the receptacle i relatively to the canopy and wings22, corresponding increase in the quantity of the material 29 dischargedthrough the openings 32 may be attained. The quantity may also beincreased by increasing the number of the' openings I3, if founddesirable.

1. A drill device for the purpos described comprising areceptacle'having an outer wall and having a bottom formed with acentral opening therethrough and an upstanding innerwail around saidopening spaced from said outer wall.

. threaded shaft extended upwardly concentrically and'means to positionthe device around a plant and to rotate the receptacle.

2. 'I'he structure of claim 1 in which drill shoes are mounted on thebottom of the receptacle for engagement with soil below said openings.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which said canopy is provided with asegmented agitator means movable closely over said openings.

4. The structure of claim 1 in which said canopy is provided with aplurality of lateral wing members at its lower part and means to stoprelative rotation of the receptacleand canopy in one direction with arespective wing over and in closure relation to each said opening,

5. The structure of claim 1 in which said canopy is provided with aplurality of) lateral wing members at its lower part close .to saidbottom and arranged so that at initial position yof the canopy and-receptacle a respective wing will be over each opening, said canopyhaving a screwtherefrom within the receptacle, a screwthreaded bearingfixed. to the receptacle and engaged with the shaft,v the threadsl beingpitched so that under relative rotation of the receptacle from initialposition in operative direction the shaft, Acanopy and wings will beraised relative to the receptacle.

6. The structure of claim 1 in which said canopy is provided with aplurality of lateral wing members at its lower part close to said'bottom and arranged so that at initial position of the canopy andreceptacle a respective wing will be over each opening, said canopyhaving a screwsaid bottom having a plurality of openings therethrough.and a canopy element set within the receptacle and having a base walloverlying the said inner wall, ground-engaging anchor spades fixed lonthe canopy and extending downwardly clear of the receptacle, means tosupport the receptacle for free rotation relatively to the canopy,agitator .means carried by the canopy adthreaded shaftextended upwardlyconcentrically therefrom within the receptacle, a screwthreaded bearingiixed tothe receptacle and engaged with the shaft; the threads beingpitched so that under relative rotation oi the receptacle from linitiallposition in operative direction the shaft. canopy and lwings will beraised relativev tothe receptacle, and means adjustably ilxed on theshaft to limit relative rotation and upward movement thereof in the saidbearing. i

JACOB AUSTIN COVER.

